The Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury regions have suffered a 22 per cent drop in the number of apprentices and trainees in training during the seven years of the Liberal Government, Federal Member for Macquarie Susan Templeman has revealed.

New Department of Education, Skills and Employment figures* show there were 2,017 apprentices and trainees in training across Macquarie when the Labor Government lost power in 2013.

“Today, the figures show there are just 1,565 – or 452 fewer,” Ms Templeman said. “That’s a significant drop of more than 22.4 per cent.

“That is a shocking performance from the government that spins itself as good for business.

“We should have been seeing an increase in apprentices, not a decline, but instead the Morrison Governmen